ITU and Child Helpline International launch the Campaign: "Partnering to Protect Children and Youth", which aims to showcase how ITU membership (Member States, regulators, industry and academia) are strengthening the work of national child helplines while fostering awareness and collaboration on Child Online Protection (COP) issues.
In 2005, the World Summit on the Information Society adopted the Tunis Agenda, which specifically called for safeguards within the ICT environment "incorporating regulatory, self-regulatory, and other effective policies and frameworks to protect children and young people from abuse and exploitation through ICTs" and integrating them "into national plans of action and e-strategies".
These goals are supported by recommendations in resolution 179 (ITU Plenipotentiary Conference, Busan, 2014) and Resolution 67 (World Telecommunication Development Conference, Dubai, 2014)
The ITU – Child Helpline International partnership aims to find technological solutions to protect children online at both global and regional levels.
"Protecting children and youth, especially in the increasingly networked environment in which we live will contribute towards achieving the sustainable development goals," said ITU Secretary-General Houlin Zhao. "It is our duty to provide a safe environment for young minds to be able to benefit from the wealth of information and knowledge available online without fear of exploitation and worse."
The UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) specifically targets ending all forms of violence and exploitation of children.
The Campaign 'Partnering to Protect Children and Youth' will recognize the efforts of ITU members which actively support child helplines in their commitment towards achieving a safer and more secure online and offline environment for children.
ITU members will be encouraged to fill out an online survey that collects best practices and initiatives on the promotion and development of child helplines. Case studies will be presented at ITU Telecom World 2016, which will take place 14-17 November 2016 in Bangkok, Thailand.
Responses to the Online Contribution
